


Book-worms

by love_hp



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: AU, Before Hogwarts, First Meeting, Giant nerds, Library, M/M, Obliviousness, cuteness, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 08:11:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11551119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_hp/pseuds/love_hp
Summary: This is it. You’re going to go up there, and talk to him and wow him. All he had to do was walk up to him, say hi, and hopefully the rest of it would just sort of… flow.“Hey, good choice! I’ve read that one, and I must say it’s one of my favourites - ”“You’ve read Encyclopaedia of Earth Worms?” The boy questioned, looking at Scorpius for the first time and smirking. Damn it, why didn’t you look at what book he was holding first you idiot Scorpius chastised himself.“Oh yes, many times.” Now they think you’re a creep. Way to go, Scorpius. Time to live under a rock for the rest of your life with the god damn earth worms.Based on the prompt:An au where they meet in a muggle library and they don't know each other is a wizard but like one of them keeps almost revealing stuff about magic and just some cuteness and obliviousness?





	Book-worms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [total_theatre_nerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/total_theatre_nerd/gifts).



Scorpius loved going to the muggle library. Wizarding books were fun, obviously, but sometimes he preferred something a little different. When his father was at work he would often tag along with him and he’d get dropped off in muggle London to waste away the hours in one of his favourite places.

To begin with he just browsed the many, many different sections that the library had to offer, all which were completely new to him. His favourite by far was the teen fiction section. After a couple of days of browsing he started picking out a few, taking them to a nearby table where he would sit and work his way through them. Some books he could finish in hours, others took him days.

There were so many authors he’d never heard of and places he’d never visited. The library in the manor was filled mainly with history books, and while Scorpius was a history nerd he preferred something different for a change. He felt like he knew all there was to know about the Wizarding wars by now, what he really wanted was to find out more about muggles.

And what a better way than to speak to one?

About a week after his first visit to the library he noticed a boy with unruly black hair and a charming smile. Like Scorpius, he always seemed to sit on his own. He stood out because there didn’t seem to be many young people who visited, much to Scorpius’s astonishment (he did note that the weather had been unusually fair recently and it was the summer holidays, not that it had stopped him at all).

He desperately wanted to talk to the other boy. He looked around the same age and seemed to be in here almost as often as Scorpius himself was. And he wanted to at least try to make a friend, even if it was just a muggle boy that he’d never see again when school started. He didn’t want to turn up to Hogwarts and have no experience with how to talk to his peers. He was already awkward enough as it was.

When he asked his Dad for advice, Draco just smiled.

“Talk to him, Scorpius. Or you’re going to regret it.”

“But… I wouldn’t know what to say!” Scorpius answered, sounding panicked. He’d always kept himself to himself growing up and it hadn’t really bothered him much up until now.

“There’s no use trying to plan a conversation in your head, the other person never follows the script. He must like books too, right? Just start with something about that.”

After promising his Dad that he would try, it took him two more weeks before he finally summoned up the courage. Every day leading up to it, he would just loiter behind bookcases near where the other boy sat, watching him as he flicked through what looked like large non-fiction books. If he noticed the small blond child, he didn’t make it known.

One day though, he wasn’t there. It was a Tuesday, which Scorpius doesn’t think was a particularly significant day for him not to be there. He thought that he had missed his chance, and went home that night sulky and completely mad at himself. Draco tried everything he could, but Scorpius would not be cheered up.

But by surprise when he entered the library the next morning there he was, sitting in his usual spot like he’d never been gone. Scorpius was ecstatic. 

_This is it. You’re going to go up there, and talk to him and wow him._ All he had to do was walk up to him, say hi, and hopefully the rest of it would just sort of… flow.

_Alright, here it goes_. He walked out from the display he had been cowering behind for the past half hour and marched over to the table, looking a lot more confident than he felt.

_Don’t screw it up, don’t screw it up_ he chanted the mantra in his head the whole way.

“Hey, good choice! I’ve read that one, and I must say it’s one of my favourites - ”

“You’ve read Encyclopaedia of Earth Worms?” The boy questioned, looking at Scorpius for the first time and smirking. _Damn it, why didn’t you look at what book he was holding first you idiot_ Scorpius chastised himself.

“Oh yes, many times.” _Now they think you’re a creep. Way to go, Scorpius. Time to live under a rock for the rest of your life with the god damn earth worms._

The other boy just raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘I don’t believe you.’

“Okay, no. I have read lots of other books though. Tons, really. Reading is my most favourite thing in the world!” He exclaimed enthusiastically. He always got a bit too excited when he talked about books.

_Great start Scorpius, now he’s going to think you are a complete bookworm and won’t want to be friends with you. What kid his age would prefer books over broomsticks?_

“I like reading too. I just haven’t read many of these…” he gestured vaguely with his hands to the shelves around him.

“So what are you into then? Sci-fi, fantasy, romance?”

“Umm, well my parents don’t have books like you would find in here…” he tried to explain, looking like he was trying to find the right words.

“Well, I can recommend you some if you like. There’s these novels I’ve been reading called The Lord of The Rings and there’s this wizard…” Scorpius trailed off, noticing how the other boy’s eyes lit up at the last word. While Scorpius did enjoy the character of Gandalf, he found some of it a little unrealistic, most of it was nothing like _real_ magic.

“Thanks, but I prefer reading about animals,” he informed Scorpius, holding up the book currently in his hands and giving it a little wave.

“Oh, of course. Tell me, do you know anything about owls?”

The conversation lasted at least an hour before Scorpius had to leave. He was so excited to tell his Dad everything, he would be so proud of him! Feeling happier than he had in a long while, Scorpius bounded down the hallway to go meet his Dad.  He had been so anxious not to make a fool of himself that he had forgotten to ask the other boy his name.

So the next day he arrived bright and early and sat at their table, waiting for him to arrive and being determined that he would remember.

“What’s your name?” Scorpius blurted out, as soon as he spotted the young man and he was within ear shot.

“Good morning to you too,” he joked, sitting down across from Scorpius, who again was wondering why he seemed to possess as many social skills as a lamp.

“And it’s Al.”

“Short for something? Like Albert or Alistair maybe?” Scorpius asked curiously.

“Sort of. It’s like a nickname.”

Scorpius understood him not wanting to share his whole name, maybe it was something embarrassing.

“Oh, I have one of those too! My mum said she started calling me it when I was a baby and it just sort of stuck.”

“Are you going to tell me then?”

Scorpius didn’t want to tell him his real name. It’s not like he minded it, back in the wizarding world. Everybody new that for generations and generations his family had been named after stars and constellations. It was just a thing that happened. But here, with the muggles, no one has probably ever heard the name Scorpius.

“Oh yes, yes, of course! It’s Pi.” He said, his ears going slightly red. It wasn’t much better than his full name, if he was being completely honest with himself.

“Like the food?” Al questioned, giggling.

“No, like the number,” Scorpius blushed, wondering if he shouldn’t have even told him it. _Why didn’t you just make up something cool? He would never have needed to know that you weren’t being truthful._

“Well, I like it.”

“You do?” Scorpius asked incredulously.

“Yeah, it’s different. Like you,” he added, smiling widely. Scorpius smiled back. He didn’t know if Al meant it as a compliment, but until he was told otherwise, he’d be thinking of it as one.

Day after day they would come to the library and just enjoy each other’s company. To begin with they sat in silence, Scorpius had run out of things to say after their initial conversations. But slowly and surely he began to be more relaxed in Al’s company. Scorpius would question him about the book he had chosen that day, or share with him a particularly funny quote he found in the novel he was reading. Soon, Scorpius began to feel like they were proper friends. And if he had asked Al, the other boy would have agreed wholeheartedly.

Normally the library was pretty empty, but on one particular day that was being described as the hottest day of the summer they were basically left alone, bar the librarian.

“Why are you in here all the time?” Scorpius asked, a question that he had being mulling over for a while. Was he a lonely only child like him?

“My family are a bit…chaotic. When I like to get out the house this is a perfect place to come. It’s not too far, no one here asks any questions and I can stay as long as I like. Plus the books. There’s so many things in here I’ve never even heard of!” _So probably not an only child then._

“Don’t they miss you?”

“My siblings are all off doing their own things, so it doesn’t bother them. Mum used to be nosey and what to know what I was up to. I don’t think my Dad notices anyway. He’s never home and when he is we don’t interact much.” Scorpius couldn’t imagine what it would be like, not being close to his father.

“What about you?”

“Both my parents are at work all day, I don’t have any other family. I get bored and lonely if I have to stay in the house all day by myself. I’d much rather spend my time in here with all the books… and you.” He said, instantly regretting adding the last two words. _Is that something you’re supposed to say to friends?_ Scorpius was sure that he still hadn’t quite gotten the hang of interacting with someone else his own age, but Al never got annoyed or laughed at him which was what he always feared. So he guessed he was doing an adequate job for the time being.

“Sometimes my Mum takes my little sister to her swimming lessons and comes here afterwards. I quite like it when they do that. Maybe you can meet them some time.”

“I would love that!” Scorpius exclaimed.

“Do you do any sports?”

“Sort of…”

“What kind? Tennis, basketball, football?” Scorpius listed off some of the muggle sports he knew of.

“Um, yeah, kind of like basketball,” Al answered, looking a bit shifty like he did quite often when Scorpius asked personal questions. _Maybe you need to tone down on the nosiness a bit_ , he thought to himself.

The friendship between the two boys blossomed more and more ever day they saw each other. But at the same time, Scorpius was becoming increasingly distressed about having to say goodbye to his new best friend. It was coming up to the end of August, meaning he’d be leaving for Hogwarts sooner than he wanted. Growing up, he had always longed for the day he arrived, but now he was almost dreading it.

“But you’re going to make so many more friends at Hogwarts. Friends who are like you.” Draco promised his son after another night of panic.

“Yeah, but what if none of them understand me like he does?” He asked. _What if they don’t want to be friends with me when there’s going to be so many other better people to choose from?_ He didn’t voice his underlying concerns, worried that Draco would not understand. From what Scorpius had heard, Draco had no problem being popular when he was younger.

It was only a week before he was due to leave when he broke the subject with Al.

“I have to go to school soon,” he told him sadly.

“Yeah, me too,” Al replied, sounding equally upset.

“Do you go somewhere near here?” Scorpius asked.

“Eh, no, I’m going to be starting boarding school. But my older brother is already there so it shouldn’t be too bad.” Al told him.

“I’m sure you’re going to make tons of new friends, you’ll forget about me soon enough…” Scorpius said, talking himself down.

“Never! How will I ever forget the boy who sat with me for two hours to help identify the bird I saw in my garden? Or quizzed me on how many different types of snakes I know, just for fun? You are a quite unforgettable person.” Scorpius heart swelled, no one had ever said something like that to him before.

“Friends?” He asked, his voice full of hope.

“Always.” Al replied sincerely.

“We’ll keep in touch, yeah? I can write to you, you know, if you want.”

“That would be great!” Al answered, looking relieved.

Before Scorpius could change his mind, he reached over and enveloped the other boy in a tight hug.

“Oh, okay. This is something we do now…” Al teased, but he pulled Scorpius tighter.

“Al, Al, look what I just got!” The pair was interrupted by a streak of ginger barrelling towards them, waving a book around in the air.

“That looks great!” Al beamed, standing up to greet the little girl. After carefully examining the book and listening intently to her description of it, Al turned to Scorpius.

“This is my sister, Lily. And this is,” he paused to point behind Scorpius where a woman with identical red hair was approaching them.

“Ginny Weasley!” Scorpius shouted in shock, interrupting the other boy before he could finish, earning himself a few glares and shushes from people nearby.

Al looked even more stunned than he did.

“Wait, you know who my Mum is?” he enquired, staring at Scorpius like he had just grown three heads.

Of course Scorpius knew all about the Potter family. He’d obviously read all about them in the history books. And even though the war had been over for more than a decade, Harry was still the most well known (and most gossiped about) celebrity. He knew that he married Ginny Weasley, and that they had three kids. Lily, James and… Albus.

Al. Short for Albus. It had been staring him in the face this whole time and he didn’t even see it. He had only seen glimpses of photographs of the family from the Daily Prophet, and probably not for years. There was no way he would’ve known what the children looked like now.

Al was a wizard. They were both wizards. Scorpius could not believe that this was happening. Of all the people he could have bumped into in muggle London, he had picked this one. _Now wasn’t that lucky?_

By this time, Ginny had reached them. She also looked surprised, but not as much as the two boys.

“Scorpius Malfoy?” She questioned, obviously needing to confirm her suspicions.

“Yes! That’s me. It’s an honour to meet you! You are just an incredibly inspirational woman…” He rambled, jumping forward to shake her hand politely.

“And you. You look just like your father, you know.” Scorpius nodded, smiling.

“Are you kidding me?” Albus looked mad, swivelling his head back and forward between his friend and his Mum like he was still in denial that this could be happening. At whom the anger was directed to, Scorpius couldn’t tell.

“All this time I’ve been trying not to let slip anything about magic or Hogwarts or anything… which was very hard for me, you know! And you’re telling me you’re a flipping wizard as well?”

“Yes?” Scorpius squeaked, and it came out more as a question than what he wanted it to.

Then, surprisingly, Albus burst out laughing.

“I can’t believe it! Both of us, thinking that each other was a muggle.”

“It is rather funny, isn’t it?” Scorpius chuckled.

“Isn’t this the greatest thing though? We won’t be separated after all!” Al grinned, excitedly wrapping his arms around Scorpius for their second time in under 10 minutes.

“Imagine if we’re put in the same house!” Scorpius cried. He was overwhelmed with happiness.

“Even if we aren’t, we’ll be together. At Hogwarts.”

Scorpius still couldn’t stop smiling. This day had gone a million times better than he ever could have imagined. He felt like he was in one of those fairy tales he had read. He couldn’t wait to tell his dad.


End file.
